Will Linux run on a P3?

Urmas

Subarctic Penguin
Joined
Mar 11, 2008
Messages
2,412
Reaction score
895
Short answer: yes.
laughingsmiley.gif


Somewhat longer answer: the amount of RAM is a major issue here. If you want to install a distro with "full-blown desktop environment" using a live CD (Ubuntu, Mandriva, PCLos), you'll need MORE THAN 256MB. I've run Ubuntu on a 733-PIII with 384MB of RAM... a rocket it ain't, but it works. Works fine, actually. However: using something a bit faster (Xubuntu, Zenwalk, Vector Linux) might make sense; Zenwalk and Vector come with "text-based-install-only" CDs good for systems with less than 128MB of RAM, even.

EDIT: The Xfce desktop environment used in the aforementioned "lighter" distributions is pretty cool, actually. The below screenshot is from PII-266 Compaq Armada 1700 lappy with whopping 96MB of RAM... talk about modest specs:

 
Last edited:

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Top